大象传媒

On the last few days of August 1939, we were assembled at our school on the 1st September. We were then walked through the city of London to Aldwych Station, our parents having said good-bye at the school and not being informed where we were going. We were put upon a train and taken to Gerrards Cross Station and then by bus to Chalfont St Peter, where we were lined up in the school play ground. Local families were then invited to choose whom they wished to take, and encouraged to walk up and down our lines, selecting. A family chose another boy and myself, and we were taken to their house. We were locked in our bedroom at 8pm every evening, and not let out till breakfast next day. I will not reveal the details of our toilet problems during the long nights, but fortunately the windows were not locked!

The man of the house worked at Waitrose stores in the poultry division - dressing chickens - and every day for the next 3 weeks, stewed chicken necks were on the menu! The competition between myself and the other lad was to align the bones around our plates to see who had the most!

We were very hungry at times, and we took recourse to raiding the local orchards, but being amateurs, were frequently caught. We found watercress to eat in the local stream.

Our schooling consisted of mornings only, and there were no educational materials provided - all teaching was by blackboard and scrap paper. Every afternoon, we were taken to a field, issued with spades, and proceeded to "Dig for Victory". We planted potatoes and cabbages which were intended to help feed us eventually.

After 3 weeks our teacher informed us that we were not writing home, and our parents were very worried. In fact, we had written but the man of the house failed to post the letters. The teacher gave us paper to write letters and took them personally to post in London.

Needless to say, 2 days later on a Saturday morning, as I came out of the house, I espied a person walking quickly towards me, and with great relief, recognized her as my mother. The conversation between my mother and the lady of the house, I was not permitted to hear. But after a few moments my mother appeared with my small attache case and gas mask, and we returned to London.

After being blitzed out of our premises twice, my mother took me back to Gerrards Cross, where a billeting officer found another family for me, and I very shortly regarded them as my second home, and I have maintained their friendship to this day.

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